currently in Austin

resources

Janice Patton

CTG goes to the dogs with trainer Janice Patton’s insight about behavior and tips for re-directing natural instincts, like digging. At A Real Friend Dog Training, she and her dogs found the tricks for a compatible garden experience that’s also safe for our best friends.

Recent Episodes

When pre-teens Addison and Ian McKenna discovered that some young classmates were going hungry, they dug into a solution. At home and throughout the community, they’re growing food for those in need. Email Ian at ian@katieskrops.com to join them in their Katie’s Krops projects. On tour in Kempner, Carolin Le at Mrs. Saigon Farms grows | watch episode →

Join author and designer Jenny Peterson on her poignant and spirited healing journey in The Cancer Survivor’s Garden Companion. On tour, The How Do Gardener Rick Bickling and wife Ellen bounced off ideas for an old basketball court and a flooding garden in shade. Daphne explains why fungal disease has run rampant and what to | watch episode →

August To Do List

Plant: ornamental & wildlife

Not a great time to plant. If you must, shade newcomers and water daily if soil is dry.

OKAY to prune red oaks and live oaks until February. Spray immediately with clear varnish.

No need to apply pruning paint to other trees

Dead head flowering plants

Late August to early September: lightly prune perennials and roses to encourage fall blooming

Cut stalks of plants like coneflower to the rosette

Fertilize

Foliar feed flowers and vegetables with liquid seaweed

Container annuals

Citrus with high nitrogen fertilizer like Citrus-tone. Fertilize every few weeks through growing season.

Insects

Watch for aphids and spider mites. It’s easy to spray them off with a hard blast of water. Be sure to get the undersides of the leaves.

Aphids and other insects can plague crape myrtles and other trees in summer (“raining trees” are due to the honeydew secretions). Blast with water hose on regular basis.

Aphids and other insects can create sooty mold on plants, a fungus that develops from their secretions (honeydew). Wash off the culprits and the leaves. Remove damaged leaves to the trash (not the compost pile).

Lawn

Keep that lawn mower setting on high. Keep the roots cool by leaving the grass long. Don’t remove more than 1/3 of the top at a time. Leave clippings on the lawn to naturally fertilize.

It’s very important to keep the grass high in August. If September brings cooler weather and rain, weed seeds will start to germinate.

Prep

Start planning the fall garden. Clean up debris in the vegetable garden. Apply compost and mix in organic slow-release granular fertilizer to get ready for fall plantings

Explore native wildlflower seeds to plant this fall

Think about next spring and the perennializing bulbs to add this fall

Other tasks

Solarize areas where you want to kill grass or weed pests for future planting